


Family Doesn't Start With Blood Either

by AnotherWorld3111



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cheating, Divorce, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Castiel, Hurt, Hurt Castiel, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Infidelity, M/M, Supportive Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 22:14:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14246838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherWorld3111/pseuds/AnotherWorld3111
Summary: Castiel knew he’d been neglecting Dean, lately. But there wasn’t anything he could have done about it. With Zachariah on his tail, he’d been working past his hours for the past month. As if that wasn’t enough, he’d been going in on weekends as well.But he would never have realized that this is what it would come to.Three months later, Castiel finds himself looking at a signed Divorce Notice."It's for the best, Castiel.""You're right. It is."





	Family Doesn't Start With Blood Either

**Author's Note:**

> Ayy look at me, posting this the next day, a whole lot earlier this time.  
> Check end notes for trigger warnings  
> I've always wanted to read a fic like this, but what do you do when you can't find it? Write it yourself, apparently

_Castiel knew he’d been neglecting Dean, lately. But there wasn’t anything he could have done about it. With Zachariah on his tail, he’d been working past his hours for the past month. As if that wasn’t enough, he’d been going in on weekends as well. Yet despite his claims that it would be worth it as soon as Castiel’s promotion was made official, he’d be able to even out his workload better, he could see how much it was affecting his and Dean’s relationship, when Dean didn’t even bother initiating any sex. Not after the last time Castiel had tiredly yelled at him that he didn’t have the time for it._

_But he would never have realized that this is what it would come to._

_“Cas, I—“ His husband was crying. His face was pale, gaunt, and his eyes were red rimmed. He wasn’t sure if those were the left over tears from the pleasure he’d been getting by the guy that had been fucking him, from the guy that was still carelessly lounging on their bed._

_“Stop.”_

_Dean immediately did so, though his mouth remained slack jawed and open. His lips were swollen, red…_

_Castiel averted his eyes._

_“Get out.” His voice was quiet, but there was no way they couldn’t have heard him._

_Dean stood there, frozen. From behind him, the stranger that had been only moments before, cock deep in his husband’s ass, lazily got up, stretching with a groan, before throwing a grin and a wink at Castiel. “Nice meeting you. You too, sweetheart.” Dean flinched as the man swatted his ass as he passed by. As did Castiel. He grit his teeth, leaning slightly to let the man pass without touching him. The moment he was gone, Dean tried to speak again._

_“Cas—“_

_“Don’t.” Closing his eyes, he held up his hand, as if physically trying to stop his husband from saying anything. Shaking his head, Castiel turned around, already leaving the room._

_“I want you gone by morning.”_

_“Cas!”_

_He didn’t wait to hear whatever Dean had to say. Still in his work clothes from his day, he left the apartment building, slamming the door on Dean’s protests._

 

oOo

 

_Three Months Later_

   Castiel stared at the paper in front of him. It had long ago stopped making sense, the words blurring in front of his eyes. At least that only happened after he signed it.

   “It’s for the best, isn’t it?” Crowley said. He was leaning against Castiel’s desk by him, nursing a glass of Scotch.

   His voice broke Castiel’s reverie. The words in front of him cleared.

DIVORCE NOTICE

   “You’re right.” He adamantly paid no attention to how his voice broke. Instead, he made sure his sign was legible, before handing it to Crowley to be mailed. Crowley grinned. “It is.”

   He may have been replying to Crowley, but he was still trying to tell those words to himself.

 

oOo

 

_A few weeks later_

   “We are here to finalize the divorce of…”

   Castiel swallowed, his eyes trained on Metatron. Crowley, as his legal advisor, was sitting to his side, and across from them…

   Across Castiel, was his husband, soon to be ex-husband. 

   He looked horrible.

   Even under his thick leather jacket over a dark shirt, Castiel could see that Dean was thinner than usual. He had his arms wrapped tightly around himself, chin tucked all the way to his chest, hiding his face from Castiel’s view. Beside him, as his legal represntative, sat Dean's brother. Sam Winchester sat ramrod straight in a suit, his face stony. However, his ever expressive eyes told all Castiel needed to know - he was absolutely furious. For what, though, Castiel wasn’t sure. For the divorce? For his own brother’s infidelity? 

   He probably would never find out, anyway.

   “Is there anything you’d like to add, Mr. Winchester?”

   Dean had already been shaking his head no, when Sam spoke up.

   “Yes, actually.” Dean’s head shot up, eyes wide and trained on Sam. A look akin to panic on his face, but Castiel at first didn’t pay attention to it, too busy taking in the sight of the deep bags under his husband’s eyes, making it look like Dean had two black eyes. “We’d like to postpone this divorce.”

   Castiel’s eyebrows shot up, both at Sam’s words, but mostly at Dean. He knew his husband - or. Well. He used to like to think that he did, but regardless. He still knew some of Dean’s tells - _if not all -_ and right now, Dean was furious, and a second away from decking his brother.

   Metraton looked up with surprise, peering at them over the rim of his glasses. “You’d like to-I’m sorry? Under what basis?”

   Sam began to reply, not even looking at Dean.

   “On the basis that—“ And then Dean was clamping a hand on Sam’s arm, and thin he might’ve gotten, but from the momentary wince on Sam’s face, it still hurt, and effectively shut him up. 

   “If you’d kindly excuse us.” There was barely a ghost of even the polite facade of a smile Castiel was familiar with on Dean’s face, before he was already getting up, dragging his brother with him. 

   Ignoring his hissed protests, Dean dragged his brother out of the meeting room, the rest of the participants’ eyes trained on them, until the door slammed shut behind them. 

   Crowley hummed. “You said you were wanting answers.”

   Castiel frowned, immediately looking over at him. “I never said that.”

   “Semantics.” Crowley said. “You probably won’t get a better time.”

   He made a shooing motion. When Castiel only continued to stare flatly, he rolled his eyes. “Go!” He whispered, but loud enough that even Metatron looked over. 

   “I, uh...” Castiel’s eyes darted from Crowley, to Metatron, before looking back at Crowley. Clearing his throat, Castiel pushed himself up. 

   “I guess... excuse me.” Frowning, still confused, Castiel walked out of the meeting room. 

   “ _-ggest mistake of your life!_ ”

   Castiel came to a stop. He peered around the corner of the hallway, and found Sam and Dean not too far away. They were seemingly in the midst of an argument, gesticulating wildly, their voices low so as to not disturb their surroundings, but still loud enough for Castiel to hear them. 

   He remained hidden. 

    _“I’m_ _holding up our end of the deal!”_

_“Screw the deal, Dean! Is it really worth more than what you want?”_

   There was a pause. Castiel edged closer. When Dean spoke, his voice was even quieter than before, and lacking any emotion or energy he’d previously managed to display with Sam.

   “ _If it means Cas will be happy, then yes, Sam. It’s what I want._ ”

   Sam exploded. “ _He had you raped, Dean! You’re telling me you want that!_ ”

   Castiel’s world froze. His vision went white, a ringing numbing his ears to every other sound except Sam and Dean’s voices. 

   Dean swallowed. “ _Cas wanted that promotion—_ “

   “ _And I’m still telling you, not over you—_ “

   “ _It was his uncle, Sam!_ ” And this time, it was Dean who yelled, sounding more riled up than he’d ever been throughout this entire conversation. “ _Who’s word do you think he’s gonna listen to, huh? Mine, or his own blood? And even if he did side with me, what would that have gotten him? Zachariah had me by my toenails, of course I was going to accept!”_

 _“You can’t tell me Cas would think his own job as a bigger priority than you…_ ” Sam said, disbelief coloring his tone. 

_“His uncle, Sam. His own family. You know I’m not gonna come in between that.”_

   Castiel was going to be sick. He barely registered Sam and Dean’s conversation coming to a close. Their approaching footsteps alerted some part of his brain that was still online to kickstart him into getting back into the meeting room before they could find out he had been eavesdropping on them. Still feeling like he was about to throw up, the rest of his senses temporarily abandoned, he slid into his chair, missing Crowley’s concerned look. 

   He barely settled in his chair before the door opened again, Sam looking absolutely murderous in front of a more sullen Dean, but Castiel didn’t miss the way Sam’s eyes were watering this time. 

   They sat in their own respective seats, taking the same spots as before. Sam cleared his throat to get Metatron’s attention.

   “We apologize.” He looked as if every word coming out of his mouth physically pained him. “We’d like to proceed as originally planned.”

   Castiel’s head shot up. He was speaking before he even planned to do so. 

   “No.”

   And this time, Dean’s head snapped up. He was looking at Castiel for the first time since the entire meeting - looking at Castiel for the first time in _three months_ , and Castiel couldn’t even manage to brim himself to ignore the small part of him that thrummed with joy from that. 

   “What?” Dean said. His eyes narrowed in confusion, but when Castiel elaborated, they widened with shock - and panic. 

   “We’re not getting divorced. _I’m_ not divorcing my husband.” Castiel said. “Not today. Not... ever. If I can help it.”

   Metatron was staring with sky high eyebrows, Crowley with a deathly glare, and even Dean looked like he was about to break down crying. Sam was the only one smiling. All this, Castiel took in from his peripherals. He trained his eyes on Dean. 

   “We need to talk. I believe I have an apology to make... and you, an explanation delayed for too long.”

   Getting up, he nodded at Metratron. “I apologize for wasting your time. And please, do not take offense when I say I’d rather we didn’t meet again. At least, not under this circumstance.”

   Standing, Castiel pulled on the lapels of his trench coat, straightening it, before striding out. How he managed to do so without bending over and throwing up where he was, he had no idea. As it was, he barely left the room before he had to lean against the same wall he’d been hiding behind only a few mere minutes ago. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. His hand flew up to his chest, finding the ring that hung around his neck even when under his shirt. He’d taken it off the night of the incident, in a fit of rage. But at the last moment, he couldn’t bring it in him to carelessly throw it against the wall, as he’d been planning to do. Instead, he’d stared at it mournfully, before setting it on his nightstand. 

   The very next day, it hung around his neck, and never once had it been removed until today.

   “Cas.” His eyes opened. In front of him, wasn’t the Winchester he wanted to say, but he mustered up a weak smile anyway in return to Sam’s muted grin.

   “Sam.”

 _“_ Look, I don’t know what made you change your mind... but I’m glad you did. I can’t say I was happy that you kicked Dean out like you did without letting him talk, but... you asked for one now, and Cas? Just, promise me, whatever he says, promise me you won’t hurt him again. He needs you, Cas.”

   He forgot how to breathe. He’d known, all this time, that of course Dean loved him. Even the past that three months, he couldn’t fathom why Dean had done what he did. It wasn’t in his husband’s nature to be be disloyal in the slightest. But to hear it from Sam, who knew Dean better than Castiel did, which he wouldn’t struggle to admit, felt like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. 

   Because Castiel could hear the underlying words that Sam didn’t say. It wasn’t Sam’s place yet. 

   Dean still loved him. 

   Swallowing, Castiel let out a shaky nod. Stepping forward, Sam clapped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly once, just as Dean rounded the corner. Nodding, Sam let go, and after exchanging a glance with his brother, he left. 

   The two stayed silent. It was Dean who broke it first. 

   “You called off the divorce.”

   “I did.”

   “Why?”

   And here, Castiel paused. He’d already been running on automatic, that now, giving a question that required him to think...

   “You never... we never talked. I made it seem like an open and shut case, but... I figured you deserved to tell me the truth.” He looked Dean straight in the eyes. “I figured I deserved the truth, at least.”

   Dean swallowed, looking down. He shoved his hands in his pocket, hunching in on himself. Castiel hated it, but kept quiet. 

   “You were away, almost all the time. I got lonely, so—“

   “The _truth_.” Castiel pushed out, grimacing. Nausea reared it’s head again, but he firmly tamped it down. “Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear. Maybe... maybe that’s what I thought then. But... just. The truth, please. Dean.”

   Dean blinked. He dropped his chin to his chest, hiding his face from view, but not before Castiel caught a glimpse of his watery eyes. 

   “I... can we go somewhere... more private?”

   Instantly, Castiel straightened. So absorbed in the conversation he was, his entire surroundings had slipped away, his world narrowing down to just him and Dean. It never would fail to amaze him, how even in that moment, that still managed to happen to him.

   But Dean was right. Secluded corner it was, no one to interrupt them after Metatron and Crowley had already left as well, there were still people bustling about, office phones ringing in the distance, the general chatter found in a place like this. A place where the sort of conversation Castiel knew they were going to have wasn’t appropriate. 

   “Do you... can we go to mine?”

   Dean hesitated. It took barely a second for Castiel to realize why. “I... moved. I couldn’t... I didn’t want to stay...” too late, he wondered if that would tip Dean off more instead. By thankfully, Dean looked faintly relieved. 

   “Yeah... okay.”

 

oOo

 

_Half an hour later._

   They both had a cup of tea cradled in between their hands, sitting across from each other at Castiel’s dining table _._ Neither of them had touched theirs yet, and it was well on the way to being cold now. 

   “It was your uncle.” Dean finally said. His fingers were white around his tea cup. “He told me that... he’d fire you. And disown you. If... I didn’t—“ Dean broke off, eyes closed. He pressed a fist to his tightly pursed lips.  

   Castiel nodded tightly, even though Dean didn’t see the gesture. “And you thought... what? That I’d value my job... over you?” He was essentially repeating Sam, but he still couldn’t believe it. He still couldn’t grasp why Dean thought he’d ever hold anything closer to his heart that wasn’t Dean. He couldn’t—

   “He said he would disown you, Cas.” Oh, the angels must be singing. For what else could that heavenly sound of Dean calling him by his name - the name he’d imparted on Castiel - be? “I know how much your family means to you, even if you don’t say anything—“

   “Not when it comes to you!” Castiel couldn’t take it any longer. Standing up, Castiel walked to his window, eyes trained outside yet unseeing. He dragged a hand through his hair. 

   He took a deep breath.

   Castiel hadn’t missed the way Dean flinched at his sudden movement.

   Calming himself, he turned around, walking over to where Dean was sitting. Surprising his husband, he got down on his knees beside him, looking up at Dean. Hesitantly, he reached for Dean’s hand. When Dean didn’t move away, he gently held Dean’s hand in between his own.

   “Dean. I love you.” Dean closed his eyes. A tear slid down his cheek. “Nothing - no one, ever comes in between you and me. There isn’t anyone more dear to me, whom I love so much… please, my love.” Castiel reached up, cupping Dean’s cheek. His heart felt like it was melting within him when Dean nuzzled his palm.

   “How can you love me, even after…” Dean whispered, head down. But from his position, Castiel could still see Dean clearly anyway.

   “Because, you’re you. And I’m me,” Castiel said, a small cheeky smile daring to make an appearance. Dean huffed, the breath of air warm against Castiel’s hand. But then the smile slipped, Castiel serious once again. “And I will always love you, no matter what.”

   Dean leaned forward, tears streaming down his face more rapidly.

   “I don’t think I could ever… he…” Dean swallowed thickly, still not opening his eyes. “I can’t even tolerate being in my own skin sometimes.”

   Castiel’s heart broke, shattering into millions of pieces. His mind flatlined, numb for a second, hot red rage filling him the next. For Dean to admit to such a thing, how he even managed the past three months by himself… Castiel would forever atone for his sin of leaving Dean.

   Slowly, he straightened, still kneeling. When Dean didn’t flinch away, with still wary movements, he wrapped his arms around his husband. Dean collapsed against his chest, muffling a sob against Castiel’s shirt. 

   “Oh, my love.” His own eyes slid closed as a tear made its way down his face, landing on Dean’s hair under his chin. “We’ll get over this. We will.”

 

oOo

 

_That night_

   They were curled up against each other on Castiel’s bed, face to face, their bodies forming parenthesis like shapes. When a weary Dean had finally stopped crying, he’d been half out of it, prompting Castiel to lifting him and carrying him here. Now, curled up against each other, he could tell Dean was on the brink of sleep. But for some reason, he stubbornly stayed awake, playing with Castiel’s now loosened tie. 

   When his finger inevitably tapped the ring under Castiel’s shirt on accident, Castiel froze as Dean’s finger stilled.

   Dean looked up - from under his eyelashes, his heart made sure to note with a jolt - confusion furrowing his eyebrows. When Castiel hesitantly nodded, Dean’s finger slipped under his collar, bringing out Castiel’s wedding ring on the chain.

   Dean’s face fell.

   “I couldn’t throw it away.” Castiel said, the admission making his guts clench. He pushed through anyway. “I wanted to. But I didn’t… I’m glad I didn’t. _”_

   Dean fingered the edge of the ring. His expression was blank, but not like he was forcing it to be, rather, merely as if he couldn’t muster up a reaction. 

   Mind already having been made up since the moment Sam uttered those words, Castiel reached up. He unhooked the chain, slipping the ring off of it. Stroking it’s engraved side for a second, he held it out to Dean, his hand center in the small gap between their bodies. When Dean stared at him, not taking the ring, Castiel offered a small smile, bringing his eyes up from the ring to look at Dean, fighting the urge to look away.

   “I wanted you to be the one to put it back on me.”

   For a moment, Dean stared at him, looking as if he hadn’t heard right. But then, he exhaled, a small smile stretching his lips. Sniffing, he took the ring. 

   Spreading his hand, Castiel held his fingers out for Dean to hold onto, mimicking their position from their wedding day, except still on their sides in bed. He noticed Dean’s ring was still on his own finger, just as he slipped the ring onto Castiel’s. The familiar weight was welcoming, a balm to soothe the pain within him that he long since forced himself to get used to.

   “I love you.” Castiel whispered. 

   Dean didn’t let go of his hand for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings include mentions of non consensual infidelity.  
> I do want to write a longer version of this, maybe from Dean's POV, and maybe expound on the aftermath of this one's events as well.. First, I wanted to at least get this idea out before it escaped me, so now that it is, maybe it'll be easy for me to write a longer one (whenever i have time...)  
> Please, please, please let me guys know if you enjoy this. Granted, I try to be my own motivator when I want to write something, cuz, and I'm not throwing accusations here right now, I'm just stating as is, but people don't really comment often here. But it would still be helpful if I get at least more than a couple people letting me know that I'm not insane - or won't drive myself insane if I write another long fic - by seeking out this particular brand of (rare) trope.  
> Also, a clap on your own backs though, whether you liked this or not, in case you've read the notes this far :)


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